A known type of computer networks are referred to as Ethernet based computer networks. In these networks, a common troubleshooting technique is to analyse packets in the network by means of packet capture/packet sniffing. In this manner, faults and/or problems may be found or it can be validated that certain traffic flows, including packets and frames that are analysed, are correct.
A known Ethernet network comprises switches and routers that connect applications, such as servers, clients and the like, to each other. Packet analysing requires that packet flows between the applications are intercepted, in order to make copies of the packets, or frames, and send these packets for analyse. As a packet goes from one application to another, it passes on wires of a path, such as an Internet Protocol (IP) path, between the applications. In order to capture the packets passing on the path, the path must be intercepted or some device, known as packet taps, must already be present in the path.
Usually, packet taps are not installed at every possible location, on every possible path in the network. Therefore, it is typically required to insert equipment, such as the aforementioned packet tap, on the path in order to capture and forward the traffic for analyse. The packet tap is often inserted at a location in quite close proximity of computer servers and switches in the path of the Ethernet traffic to be analysed.
A problem is hence that e.g. the switch needs to be physically visited in order to correctly connect a wire between the switch and the analysing tool. This is of course costly and time consuming.